System and method of an acoustic flow meter with dual flow measurements

Abstract

Acoustic flow meter with dual flow measurements. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are flow meters comprising a spool piece that defines a central passage, a first plurality of transducer pairs mechanically coupled to the spool piece, a second plurality of transducer pairs mechanically coupled to the spool piece, and meter electronics electrically coupled to the first and second plurality of transducer pairs (the meter electronics configured to determine a first value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage, the first value determined using only signals of the first plurality of transducer pairs). The meter electronics further configured to determine a second value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage, the second value determined using only signals of the second plurality of transducer pairs.

1. A flow meter comprising:
 a spool piece that defines a central passage; 
 a first plurality of transducer pairs mechanically coupled to the spool piece, each transducer pair defines a chord across the central passage, each transducer pair configured to propagate and receive acoustic signals along respective chords, and at least two chords of the first plurality of transducers pairs are non-planar; 
 a second plurality of transducer pairs mechanically coupled to the spool piece, each transducer pair defines a chord across the central passage, each transducer pair configured to propagate and receive acoustic signals along respective chords, and at least two chords of the second plurality of transducers pairs are non-planar; and 
 meter electronics electrically coupled to the first and second plurality of transducer pairs, the meter electronics configured to determine a first value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage, the first value determined using only signals of the first plurality of transducer pairs; and 
 the meter electronics further configured to determine a second value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage, the second value determined using only signals of the second plurality of transducer pairs. 
 
   
   
     2. The flow meter of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the first plurality of transducer pairs further comprises:
 a pair of transducers that define a first chord across the central passage at a first elevation in the central passage; 
 a pair of transducers that define a second chord across the central passage at a second elevation in the central passage different than the first elevation; 
 
 the second plurality of transducer pairs further comprises:
 a pair of transducers that define a third chord across the central passage at the first elevation; 
 a pair of transducers that define a fourth chord across the central passage at the second elevation. 
 
 
   
   
     3. The flow meter of  claim 2  wherein the first chord and third chord intersect within the central passage. 
   
   
     4. The flow meter of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the first plurality of transducer pairs further comprises:
 a first pair of transducers that define a first chord across the central passage at an upper elevation in the central passage; 
 a second pair of transducers that define a second chord across the central passage at an upper-middle elevation in the central passage, the second chord and the first chord non-planar; 
 a third pair of transducers that define a third chord across the central passage at a lower-middle elevation in the central passage, the third chord parallel to the first chord; and 
 a fourth pair of transducers that define a fourth chord across the central passage at a lower elevation in the central passage, the fourth chord parallel to the second chord; 
 
 the second plurality of transducer pairs further comprises:
 a fifth pair of transducers that define a fifth chord across the central passage at an upper elevation in the central passage; 
 a sixth pair of transducers that define a sixth chord across the central passage at an upper-middle elevation in the central passage, the fifth chord and the sixth chord non-planar; 
 a seventh pair of transducers that define a seventh chord across the central passage at a lower-middle elevation in the central passage, the seventh chord parallel to the fifth chord; and 
 a eighth pair of transducers that define a eighth chord across the central passage at a lower elevation in the central passage, the eight chord parallel to the sixth chord. 
 
 
   
   
     5. The flow meter of  claim 4  further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: the first chord and fifth chord are at substantially the same elevation; the second chord and the sixth chord are at substantially the same elevation; the third chord and the seventh chord are at substantially the same elevation; and the fourth chord and the eighth chord are at substantially the same elevation. 
   
   
     6. The flow meter of  claim 4  further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: the first pair of transducers and fifth pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position; the second pair of transducers and the sixth pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position; the third pair of transducers and the seventh pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position; and the fourth pair of transducers and the eighth pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position. 
   
   
     7. The flow meter of  claim 1  wherein the meter electronics further comprises:
 a first meter electronics electrically coupled to the first plurality of transducers pairs, the first meter electronics configured to determine the first value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage; and 
 a second meter electronics electrically coupled to the second plurality of transducers pairs, the second meter electronics configured to determine the second value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage; 
 the first meter electronics configured to continue to operate when the second meter electronics is inoperable. 
 
   
   
     8. A method comprising:
 determining a first value indicative of flow volume of fluid through a central passage of a meter body, the determining using a first plurality of transducer pairs, each transducer pair defines a chord, and at least two of the chords are non-planar; and substantially concurrently 
 determining a second value indicative of flow volume of fluid through the central passage of the meter body, the determining using a second plurality of transducer pairs, each transducer pair of the second plurality of transducer pairs defines a chord, and at least two of the chords are non-planar. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8  wherein determining the first value indicative of flow volume further comprises determining using four transducer pairs, two transducer pairs define a first set of parallel chords, two pairs of transducers define a second set of parallel chords, and the first set of parallel chords and the second set of parallel chords are non-planar. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9  wherein determining the second value indicative of flow volume further comprises determining using four transducer pairs, two transducer pairs define a third set of parallel chords, two pairs of transducers define a fourth set of parallel chords, and the third set of parallel chords and the fourths set of parallel chords are non-planar. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 wherein determining the first value indicative of flow volume further comprises determining by a first meter electronics; and 
 wherein determining the second value indicative of flow volume further comprises determining by a second meter electronics different than the first meter electronics. 
 
   
   
     12. A flow meter comprising:
 a meter body that defines a central passage; 
 a first set of transducer pairs mechanically coupled to the meter body, the first set of transducer pairs comprising:
 a first pair of transducers that define a first chord across the central passage at an upper elevation in the central passage; 
 a second pair of transducers that define a second chord across the central passage at an upper-middle elevation in the central passage, the second chord and the first chord non-planar; 
 a third pair of transducers that define a third chord across the central passage at a lower-middle elevation in the central passage, the third chord parallel to the first chord; and 
 a fourth pair of transducers that define a fourth chord across the central passage at a lower elevation in the central passage, the fourth chord parallel to the second chord; 
 
 a first memory device that stores a program; 
 a first processor electrically coupled to the first set of transducers pairs and the first memory, wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to calculate a first value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage based on signals received by the first set of transducer pairs; 
 a second set of transducer pairs mechanically coupled to the meter body, the second set of transducer pairs comprising:
 a fifth pair of transducers that define a fifth chord across the central passage at an upper elevation in the central passage; 
 a sixth pair of transducers that define a sixth chord across the central passage at an upper-middle elevation in the central passage, the fifth chord and the sixth chord non-planar; 
 a seventh pair of transducers that define a seventh chord across the central passage at a lower-middle elevation in the central passage, the seventh chord parallel to the fifth chord; and 
 a eighth pair of transducers that define a eighth chord across the central passage at a lower elevation in the central passage, the eight chord parallel to the sixth chord; 
 
 a second memory device that stores a program; 
 a second processor electrically coupled to the second set of transducers pairs and the second memory, wherein the program of the second memory device, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to calculate a second value indicative of fluid flow through the central passage based on signals received by the first second of transducer pairs; 
 the second processor and second set of transducer pairs operable to determine the second value indicative of the flow through the central passage when the first processor and any of the first set of transducer pairs are not in operation. 
 
   
   
     13. The flow meter of  claim 12  further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: the first chord and fifth chord are at substantially the same elevation; the second chord and the sixth chord are at substantially the same elevation; the third chord and the seventh chord are at substantially the same elevation; and the fourth chord and the eighth chord are at substantially the same elevation. 
   
   
     14. The flow meter of  claim 12  further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: the first pair of transducers and fifth pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position; the second pair of transducers and the sixth pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position; the third pair of transducers and the seventh pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position; and the fourth pair of transducers and the eighth pair of transducers are at substantially the same axial position. 
   
   
     15. The flow meter of  claim 12  wherein the first chord and fifth chord intersect within the central passage.